Fifa Ballon d’Or Was Awarded To Lionel Messi

Fifa Ballon d’Or Was Awarded To Lionel Messi -Lionel Messi, forward of Argentina and Barcelona, has been awarded the inaugural Fifa Ballon d’Or award at a ceremony in Zurich. The Argentine has won two awards, a merger of the Fifa Player of the Year prize and Ballon d’Or.

Messi said, “I’m surprised to win but pleased to be here with my friends.” He added, “To win it makes it even more special. I want to share it with all of my friends, my family, all the Barcelonistas and the Argentinians.”

Messi was awarded ahead of his Barca team-mates Andres Iniesta and Xavi. Messi has also received two different awards last year. On the other hand, Jose Mourinho was named the Coach of the Year, which is his latest award in his glittering career. He also won league titles in Portugal, England and Italy.

Other stars of the event were Hamit Altintop, who won the Puskas Award for Goal of the Year for his wonder volley when Turkey played against Kazakhastan; Brazilian striker Mart, who won the Women’s Player of the Year for a fifth consecutive time and Germany’s Silvia Neid won the Women’s Coach of the Year.

Many expected Iniesta, who scored the winning goal as Spain beat Netherlands 1-0 in the World Cup final in Johannesburg in July, and Xavi, who was lynchpin of the Spanish side, were favorites to win at shining ceremony in Switzerland.

Messi was awarded ahead of his Barca team-mates Andres Iniesta and Xavi because he scored a remarkable 60 goals for club and country in 2010 and is widely regarded as the most gifted footballer of his generation. He has also received two different awards last year.

The only Spanish winner of either prize was Luis Suarez who won the Ballon d’Or in 1960.

The Ballon d’Or is awarded based on votes cast by journalists from around the globe, as well as coaches and captains of national teams.

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